Jon M. Chu Proved He Was the Perfect Choice to Direct ‘Wicked’ With This 2020 Musical Adaptation

Converting huge productions like musical theater into movies evil It’s a huge task. After all, there’s a reason it took decades to make it into a movie. No wonder a difficult order turned out like this. John M. Chu He has already proven his credentials in the 2020 film adaptation, so in the heights. This Tony Award-winning musical hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda The setting is the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City. Both the stage show and film are a celebration of community and culture, set in the aftermath of the blackout and its aftermath. There is no weak link within its ensemble cast. melissa barela (Proving she’s more than just a scream queen), Anthony Ramos, leslie grace, corey hawkins and Stephanie Beatriz. Full of life and energy, Chu proved he could bring Broadway spectacle to the big screen. His translation is evil get closer, Must check out in the heights While waiting to go to Oz.

on stage, in the heights It’s lively, with short cuts between scenes showing the interconnectedness and fast-moving nature of the neighborhood. Characters are constantly interacting and move seamlessly from one location to the next. The film manages to maintain this sense of community through its vibrancy and dynamic camerawork. This is immediately apparent in the title opening number, “In the Heights.” There, Usnavi (Ramos) leads the audience through the streets of Washington Heights and then opens his own warehouse, which becomes the film’s meeting place. Each main character as they enter the store and provide a little insight into their personalities. alice brooksThe cinematography is perfectly in line with Chu’s direction and perfectly in line with their reunion. evilhopefully this will carry over into the Land of Oz as well

Ramos recently spotted twistershe had played the role on stage as well, so he was a perfect choice for the film. In fact, his Broadway experience speaks for itself. Besides Usnavi, he created the role of John Lawrence/Philip. hamilton. This allows Ramos to pilot the ship. in the heightsUsnavi is the pilot of the story, breaking the fourth wall and interacting with the audience at various points. Ramos understands the character, and his performance has the roundness of theater and the delicacy of cinematic acting. The decision to use experienced theater performers was something Jon M. Chu repeated in the film. evil; Cynthia ErivoThe actress who will play Elphaba is a musical theater veteran and won a Tony Award for her performance in 2016. the color purple.

Musical numbers are a highlight of “In the Heights”

in the heights follows characters who are optimistic, full of ambition and hope. The story revolves around various members of this community pursuing a “suenito” (translated as “little dream”). But it’s also rooted in reality. The film achieves this balance by the way it plays with the fantastical, showing the characters’ dreams through visions. When Benny and Nina discuss their future in “When the Sun Goes Down,” the camerawork makes it seem as if they’re walking along the side of a building, and the lighting evokes a hazy, ethereal sunrise. . Similarly, when Vanessa dreams of a career in fashion design in “It Won’t Be Long Now,” tons of fabric dangles from a skyscraper.

This blend of fantasy and reality allows the film to maintain the awe-like spectacle of the theater. evil In an obviously enhanced version of this, the entire musical takes place in the fantastical (and hilarious) land of Oz. But through it in the heightsChu shows an understanding of the vastness and extravagance of musical theater. The large group dance numbers are colorful and flashy, reflecting the passion and spirit of the show. “96,000” is a big highlight and perfectly captures the spirit of the show, where each character dreams of what they would do if they won the lottery. From bringing Graffiti Pete’s paintings to life to the cast’s choreography in the pool, it creates the sense of magic and performance that is essential to musical theater adaptations.

in the heights Capturing the emotional immediacy of theater, conveyed through the language of film, weaving together intimate moments while retaining the vibrancy of the original show. This proved that Jon M. Chu knew how to adapt a musical. evil It was always in safe hands.